St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-06-08
MINNESOTA BUSINESS men
Ehey Meet in Convention at Mankato
to Discuss the Exactions of Rail-
way Corporations,
And to Exchange Views Regarding the
State and National Laws For
Their Regulations.
The st. Paul and Minneapolis Men Al
lowed to Come in Only After
Lively Debate.
Some Hostility Shown the Twin Cities
by Representatives of the Country
Interests.
Special to the Globe.


order by President Pope at o'clock
this afternoon. Mayor Pfau made a
speech of welcome, telling those pres
ent that while he was not hostile to any
place or persons, yet they were assem-
bled to devise some way of restraining
the power of the vast corporations
which were continually, by their dis
examinations between persons and
places, building up one place
TO the detriment of another.
o. F. Perkins, of Northfeld, responded,
complimentlng the mayor on so truly
diVining and outlining the work of the
convention. This convention recognizes
the universal brotherhood of men and it
includes corporations. Equal rights
should be granted to all man and all
places. The people have borne these
grievances because they thought they
had no redress, but now the interstate
commerce law comes as revelation.
John Z. Noe, president of the Man
kato board of trade, spoke for
the board, and expressed the
hope that they might deliberate har-
moniouSly ON the great transportation
question. w. B. Dean, of st. Paul, then
made neat speech, cOmplimenting the
city on its growth during the last few
years, and hoped that the deliberations
of the convention would be harmonious
and of great benefit to the entire COM
munity. President Pope, in a short
speech, then outlined the organization
and work of the business mems aSSocia-
ton, claiming that it had been largely
instrumental in preventing the SuSpen-
sion of the long and short haul clause
asked for by the Minnesota d North
western railroad. He rapidly sketched
the wonderful growth of the railroad
system of the United States, and showed
that during the whole time the conSOli-
datiOn of roads into vast systems had
been going on.
THE GRANGER DECISIONS
of the supreme court showed that the
railroads were under state control. He
urged them to insist on the rigid en-
forcement of the railroad laws,
both state and national. Gen. Pope then
compared the state railroad laws with
the interstate commerce law. severely
criticiZing letter sent him by the state
railway commissioners, saying they had
been OF little use in the past. and that
they could be of great service in eX
planning and enforcing the laws Special
tariffs. he claimed, were made by every
railroad. He also criticized severely
the tariff sheet published by the Mil
waukee road. When Gen. Pope had
finished, W. B. Dean, of st. Paul. set
the ball rolling by rising and asking to
know just what part was to be taken by
a representative from st. Paul or Min
neapoliS. He
QUOTED FROM A SPEECH
made at the Faribault meeting by Mr..
KeyeS, which said among other things
that it was "a convention of the buSi-
ness interests of the state outside of st.
Paul and Minneapolis" 'The gentle
man from Minneapolis and myself de-
sire to be informed whether we are well
come to this meeting or not, as from the
speech quoted and remarks made on this
floor we feel that perhaps we do not be-
long here" Secretary Burlingame
spoke explaining that it was the in
tention of the executive committee
to have every city in the state
represented. Gen. Pope expressed the
hope that the interests of both sections
would be furthered by the convention.
Perkins, of Owatonna, said that while
he was very glad to have Minneapolis
and st. Paul represented, he would like
the president to tell him just how he
thought it was to be done, and whether
any one believed that Minneapolis and
st. Paul really would cooperate with
the rest of the state. The real milk in
the coc0anut was whether or not the
long and short haul clause
SHOULD BE SUSPENDED,
and were not the Twin Cities working
with the railroads to secure the Suspen-
sion of that clause. Dean replied to
Burlingame by citing other portions of
KeyeS' speech and to Perkins by Show
ing that Minneapolis and ST. Paul or
CARNATIONS had absolutely refused to
sign petition for the repeal of the
interstate commerce law. He claimed
that for two years those cities had been
working for lower rates, which they had
just obtained. This reduction, he
claimed, was benefit to the
whole state, the interests of
which were identical with those of St.
Paul and Minneapolis. Congressman
Nelson here interrupted the speaker,
asking whether this reduction in rates
was not the effect of the interstate COM
merce law rather than their eXertiOns
He replied that he had no reference to
the Manitoba, and claimed that St. Paul
and Minneapolis were the friends of
every interior town in the state, and the
real enemies were the cities along Lakes
Michigan and Superior. Nelson now
stepped forward on the platform, and to
get at the question fairly. a he said,
asked whether or not they were in favor
of repeating the interstate commerce
law? Dean said that
ST. PAUL AND MINNEAPOLIS
wished to try the law fairly and hon
estly, and that they had refused to take
any part in working for it's repeal.
Perkins asked the speaker whether he
was willing for carload of freight to
come to Faribault for the same price as
to st. Paul, to which Dean replied that
ST. Paul jobbers had no objection to any
such thing, and that it was being
done every day. A resolution
was then passed declaring that
St. Paul and Minneapolis were entirely
welcome. Gilmore, of Minneapolis,
made a short speech, claiming that ST.
Paul and Minneapolis would be bene-
fitted or harmed, just as any other part
of the state, by law or laws. John L.
Ames then made plea for the farmers,
saying they were the most oppressed
class, and citing the rates from terminal
points to Chicago and the rates from in
terror places to the same place. The
meeting was then adjourned to 1880
The Business Mems association began
THEIR EVENING SESSION
at 7:20 by calling the roll of delegates
and appointing several committees.
Hon. Knute Nelson was then introduced
as the defender of the interstate COM
merce law. He said: 'The boy
cOte of the interior towns by
the railroads and the conduct Of
the metropolitan press brought me,
conservative man in regard to railroad
legislation, before you tonight" He
quoted from the Pioneer Press, as he